System and method of controlling power delivery to a surgical instrument
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A surgical instrument comprising:
- a body;
a thermal element disposed on the body and configured to receive oscillating electrical energy, the thermal element comprising a conductor having a ferromagnetic material covering at least a portion of the conductor, and wherein the ferromagnetic material, when heated, is movable between air and liquid without causing fracturing of the ferromagnetic material; and
an information storage device for storing information relative to a configuration parameter of the thermal element.
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Abstract
A thermal surgical instrument having a system to control the delivery of power from an energy source to active element located on a tip. The system for controlling delivery to the tip may include a control algorithm which uses one or more measurements, such as tip current, SWR, and rapid changes in reflected power, to manage power without affecting cutting efficacy, and in a manner that may be imperceptible by a surgeon. The system may utilize a state machine to determine the current environment in which the tip may be in. Power delivered to the tip may be selectively managed according to a fixed power index or a repeatedly executed power profile.
309 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument comprising:
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a body; a thermal element disposed on the body and configured to receive oscillating electrical energy, the thermal element comprising a conductor having a ferromagnetic material covering at least a portion of the conductor, and wherein the ferromagnetic material, when heated, is movable between air and liquid without causing fracturing of the ferromagnetic material; and an information storage device for storing information relative to a configuration parameter of the thermal element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A surgical instrument system comprising:
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a body; and a thermal element disposed on the body and configured to receive oscillating electrical energy and to heat in response to receipt of the oscillating electrical energy, the thermal element having an impedance which changes in response to a change in a temperature of the thermal element, the thermal element comprising a conductor having a ferromagnetic material covering at least a portion of the conductor, and wherein the ferromagnetic material, when heated, is movable between air and liquid without causing fracturing of the ferromagnetic material; and circuitry disposed in communication with the thermal element configured to sense a change in the impedance of the thermal element and to generate a signal to adjust the oscillating electrical energy received by the thermal element. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A thermal surgical instrument system comprising:
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a body; a thermal element attachable to the body and configured to receive oscillating electrical energy, the thermal element comprising a conductor having a cross-sectional diameter and a layer of ferromagnetic material which has a thickness which is less than the cross-sectional diameter of the conductor and wherein the layer of ferromagnetic material, when heated, is movable between air and liquid without causing fracturing of the layer of ferromagnetic material; an information storage device for storing information relative to a configuration parameter of the thermal element; and sensing circuitry disposed in communication with the thermal element for sensing a behavior characteristic of the thermal element; and a power control system for making adjustments to the oscillating electrical energy received by the thermal element; wherein the power control system is configured to use information relative to the configuration parameter of the thermal element and the sensed behavior characteristic of the thermal element to regulate a temperature of the thermal element. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A thermal surgical instrument system comprising:
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a body; and a thermal element disposed on the body and configured to receive oscillating electrical energy and to heat in response to receipt of oscillating electrical energy, the thermal element including a conductor having exposed portions and a portion covered with a ferromagnetic material between the exposed portions, the thermal element further having an impedance which changes in response to a change in a temperature of the thermal element and wherein the ferromagnetic material comprises coating disposed on the conductor which is thinner than a cross-sectional diameter of the conductor and wherein the ferromagnetic material will not fracture when heated and moved between air and submersion in a liquid; and circuitry disposed in communication with the thermal element configured to sense a change in the impedance of the thermal element and to generate a signal to adjust the oscillating electrical energy received by the thermal element. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification